Lake Powell opened to PWC

June 2, 2003

PWC owners will be back on Lake Powell this summer as the result of a lawsuit filed by local business owners and recreational access groups in March, 2003. The lake was to remain closed to the small boats until at least late summer as the National Park Service (NPS)completed a special rule to allow them to return. The recent settlement in the coalition’s lawsuit with the NPS resulted in the opening of the lake to PWC enthusiasts May 10.
The settlement opens the lake to PWC while the rulemaking process is completed, saving the recreational boating season for PWC owners at Lake Powell and saving the businesses and communities which rely on their tourism dollars.
The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of small business owners from around the lake, including two Page, Ariz., PWC-oriented businesses, and three recreational access organizations, the American Watercraft Association, BlueRibbon Coalition, and Utah Shared Access Alliance.
Lake Powell is the dominant feature of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, located on the border of Utah and Arizona. It is among the most popular recreational boating destinations in the West.